May 2, 2007

Time for a commuter commuter tax congestion toll? Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry thinks so. If the Supremes won't let DC tax the income produced within its borders, why not impose a fee to cross the border?

Barry did not suggest a price for the tolls, saying that would be for the commission to determine. His legislation was co-sponsored by council members Harry Thomas Jr. and Kwame Brown.

Despite the district's strong economic footing, the city faces a gap of up to $1.2 billion a year between how much revenue it can collect and how much it needs to operate, according to a federal study. The disparity is partly blamed on the city's inability to tax the income of about 480,000 people who work in D.C. but live elsewhere.